Research Permit and Reporting System January 2016 upgrade: new - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Research Permit and Reporting System

January 2016 upgrade: new services Investigator Annual Report call: common issues

National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Bill Commins February 2016

Overview: RPRS upgrade (1/14/16)

Enhancements:

• “Agent” role: account holders may assign permissions that will empower agents to

assist the account holders manage their account.

• Investigator account data transfer service: RPRS investigator account holders may

transfer their account data to another account.

• Applications may be returned to draft status.
• Enhance park management of who receives automated notification messages.
• Option to print draft applications, permits
• IAR search page: add disciplines to search options.
• Consolidate report options under “Report” menu option.

Fixes:

• Limit IAR submission to current and past calendar years.
• Update file upload service to current code base.
• IAR date data entry fields: clarify date options
• Upload files to IRMA Data Store service: increase the character limit size of the

abstract field.

Overview of issues and procedures pertinent to the IAR call period

Investigators:

• How to access their investigator accounts
• What is an Investigator Annual Report (IAR)
• How to submit IARs
• How to renew permit (submit a permit renewal application)

Coordinators

• Checking in IARs – why, how
• Permitting issues: copy/re-issue service, when permits may be edited
• Understand and use study number to link all documents pertaining to single study.
• Understand and control automated notification messages.
• Understand and use park profile service.
• Understand RPRS link to Data Store: final report submission service

RPRS patch: fixes

Limit Investigator Annual Report (IAR) submission to current and past calendar years.

• IAR submission service is located on the Investigator Dashboard under Tasks in Progress.
• Both pending IARs and Draft IARs are accessible through the “Investigator Annual Report: Submit Findings panel.
• Still possible confusion because IAR call starts at end of reporting year (December) and extends to March 31st of the

next year; see that 2016 IAR submission options are available even though we are currently asking for 2015 IARs.

Update file upload service to current code base.

Goal: to fix widespread file attach service failure for all users. Result: Great improvement, but not 100% Upload files work around : Investigator may email files directly to park. Park may attach to document via staff notes. How to attach documents to applications, permits, IARs: open document, scroll to the bottom, click on “Staff Notes” panel, click “Add Staff Note”, from within note pop up, click “Add File” icon.

IAR date data entry fields: clarify date options

IAR report form: Dates tab Permit Start/End pulled from permit record: not editable Study Start/End pulled from application record: editable NOTE:

• Application has 2 sets of dates: field work start/end, study start/end
• Permit has 1 set of dates: permit start/end

Upload files to IRMA Data Store service: increase the character limit size of the abstract field.

To upload files to Data Store: Investigators use: “Submit Final Reports and Other Related Materials” link Coordinators use “Coordinators” menu option then “Submit Report for Investigator” Submission procedure:

• NPS staff submit files for investigator: first select investigator by entering last

name or email.

• All: Select study.
• All: Enter meta- data.

Enhancement: Agent Role

Investigator account holders may assign permissions that will empower agents to assist the account holders manage their account.

• Collaboration and assistance is the purpose of the agent role. Through the

assignment of agent permissions, account holders may access assistance in managing their accounts.

• Both the investigator and the agent must have created an investigator account.

For information on how to create an account; access RPRS (https://irma.nps.gov/rprs/) click on “Help” link, select “Investigator Help”, select “How to Create an Investigator Account”.

• The first step to assigning agent permissions to your account is to log into your
• account. From the investigator account dashboard (home page), click on the

“Investigators” menu option.

Enhancement: Agent Role (continued)

Select the “Manage Agents” option from the drop down “Investigator menu option:

Enter the email address of the person to whom you wish to assign the agent role.

• Note: the proposed agent must have created an investigator account.
• The email address entered must match the address that the agent entered as their

investigator account email.

Enhancement: Agent Role (continued)

If the email address entered in the Manage Agents email field matches the address in an investigator account record, the RPRS will ask you to assign the level of permissions that you are granting to the agent. By default, agent assignment provides permission to view all of your account data. You may add permission to edit your documents (applications, Investigator’s Annual Reports, submit final reports). Or, you may add permission to edit and submit your documents. In this case rprsinvest3 has assigned agent permissions to rprsinvest1.

Enhancement: Agent Role (continued)

The account holder assigned permissions will receive an automated notification:

Enhancement: Agent Role (continued)

The agent (in this case Rprsinvest 1) may now access their agent permissions through their

• account. Upon logging into their account, they will see both the Investigators menu option (for

managing their transactions) and Agent menu option (for managing the assigning account holder’s transactions). When rprsinvest1 clicks on The “Agents” menu option, they will have access to rprsinvest3’s account data. Their permissions will have been defined by rprsinvest3. Note that these permissions may be terminated by either the assigner or recipient.

Enhancement: Investigator Data Transfer Service

The investigator data transfer service facilitates the transfer of responsibility for studies from one investigator to another. Investigators who wish to transfer ALL of their account data to another investigator may use this service.

• Upon completion of the transfer of data from one account to another, the data will no longer

be available in the account from which it was transferred.

• Both the investigator transferring data and the investigator receiving data must have an

investigator account.

• The investigator transferring the data must know the email of the investigator receiving the

data. Prior an investigator receiving data, they must create an investigator account. For information on how to create an account; access RPRS (https://irma.nps.gov/rprs/) click on “Help” link, select “Investigator Help”, select “How to Create an Investigator Account”.

Enhancement: Investigator Data Transfer Service

The first step to transferring the data in your account is to log into your account. From your investigator account dashboard, click on the “Transfer all my investigator account data to another investigator’s account” link, which is found under the “One Time Tasks” header.

Enhancement: Investigator Data Transfer Service

Clicking on the “Transfer all my investigator account data to another investigator’s account” link will lead to a “Transfer Warning” page.

• Transfer service will transfer ALL of your account data, your account will be

emptied of the transferred data, and the transfer is not reversible.

• The data transfer does not modify the transferred data, only transfer it.
• The person to whom you transfer your data will be able to use the data to submit

under his/her name renewal applications based on your permits, and may submit any outstanding Investigator Annual Reports for permits which you have held. The the IARs submitted for your permits will be in your name.

Enhancement: Investigator Data Transfer Service

If you click the continue button you will be asked to provide the email address of the investigator to whom you wish to transfer your account data. Upon entering the email address and clicking continue an email will be sent to the address which you specified.

Enhancement: Investigator Data Transfer Service

If the recipient of this message accepts the request to receive the data by clicking on the link “Transfer [first name, last name]’s Research Permit and Reporting System Investigator Account data to my investigator account”, a confirmation message will be sent to the requestor. The requestor then clicks on the link in the acceptance message in order to complete the procedure. Notes:

• The transfer empties all data from the transferring account. The account is still viable and

new transactions may be made.

• The recipient of the data will find the data in their account. If they already have transaction

data, the data will be added to the existing account data.

• The transfer does not change the content or attribution of the transaction data.
• This procedure can by tricky: The original permit holder may left the organization. The

transfer requires that both parties receive email request and click on the links within the emails.

Enhancement: Allow park coordinators to change applications to draft and return to investigator, providing no permit has been issued.

The purpose of this service is to give parks the option of returning an application to the applicant for further editing. Perhaps an application provides insufficient information, or perhaps in the course of review it becomes clear that the research proposal will need significant modification. Through this service parks may return a submitted application to draft status.

• Once an application is returned to draft status it will no longer be accessible by the park, and

will be available to the applicant.

• The applicant will be able to edit the draft application and resubmit it to the park.
• This service is only available for those applications for which no permit has been issued

(pending review or under review).

• Access to this service is limited to NPS staff who have been assigned RPRS Coordinator

permissions. HOW: Access the RPRS: https://irma.nps.gov/rprs/ . Access your park’s applications: The simplest way is to click on the “Pending Applications: Open and Review” panel found in the Coordinator dashboard (or Applications under review, or Draft permits panels)

Enhancement: Allow park coordinators to change applications to draft and return to investigator, providing no permit has been issued.

Open the application: Click on the Change Status option box. Select “Draft”. The application will be returned to draft. The draft application will no longer be accessible to the park. The draft application will be accessible to the applicant who may edit and resubmit the application. When an application is returned to draft, the applicant will receive a notification email. The email template is shown below:

Enhancement: Allow park coordinators to change applications to draft and return to investigator, providing no permit has been issued.

The applicant may access the draft application from their account: click on the panel labeled “Applications Drafted, But Not Yet Submitted” Notes: The application will remain in draft until the applicant re-submits it to the park.

Enhance automated notification service: option to assign multiple recipients for RPRS application submission notification messages.

When an application is submitted, the park curator automatically receives notification and a copy. This enhancement gives parks the option of assigning multiple recipients .

• The RPRS automatically sends an email notification to the Park Coordinator and Park Curator

when an application is submitted to the park.

• RPRS routes park coordinator notifications to staff assigned coordinator permissions.
• RPRS routes park curator notifications through the email address field in the RPRS park
• profile. Through this service parks will be able to assign additional staff to receive application

submission notifications.

• Park Coordinator permissions are required to access this service, and assign additional staff

to receive application submission notifications.

Enhance automated notification service: option to assign multiple recipients for RPRS application submission notification messages.

Clicking the “View Park Profile” link will instantiate the “Park Information” tab of the park profile. Click on the “Edit” button Scroll down past the Park Coordinator Information section to the Park Information section. The Curator Emails field will accept multiple email addresses. Click on the “Add” icon to add an email

• address. When an application is submitted to the park, a notification email (including an

attachment of a copy of the application in Adobe Acrobat format) will be sent to all email addresses listed in the Curator Emails. Added emails will be visible in the park profile.

Incorporate option to print draft applications, and permits

This service expands the options for printing RPRS generated documents (applications, permits, Investigator’s Annual Reports). The RPRS has always provided the option to print completed

• documents. The enhancement of this service to include the option to print draft documents was

requested by users to facilitate review, distribution, and documentation of draft applications, permits and IARs. Applications A draft application is only available to the drafter. Parks cannot even see the application until it is

• submitted. The application form now includes a “Download Printable File” link.

Incorporate option to print draft applications, and permits

Applications If the applicant has saved a draft, they may access the printable file link by re-opening the draft which may be found through the Investigator Dashboard panel labeled “Applications Drafted, But Not Yet Submitted”. Permits Park coordinator permissions are required in order to draft, edit and issue permits. The print

• ption for draft permits is found in the permit edit interface.

Incorporate option to print draft applications, and permits

Printable copies of draft documents will have a clear DRAFT watermark in order to avoid confusion as to the status of the document.

Add disciplines to IAR search page filter options

Helpful information for the IAR call

Introduction Understanding the IAR call process

• Timing: Starts the last month of the calendar (reporting) year and extends 3 months into the

new year.

• Why choose this time period: For most parks the summer months are field season.
• How is the call administered: RPRS administrator sends out three emailed call and one

U.S.P.S. mailed messages to persons who held an active permit during the reporting year, and have not yet submitted their IAR for that reporting year. Note: Parks may remove reporting year requirement from a permit record. NOTES: Call period is also the period when most permit applications and permit renewal applications are submitted. Call period is hard for parks and investigators who don’t use the RPRS frequently. Approximately 5,000 permits are active per year. Approximately 4,500 investigators are contacted Heavy response to call messages: If you do not hear back from me within 5 days – re-send.

Helpful information for the IAR call

Issues faced by Investigators How to access their accounts One web address for all users: https://irma.nps.gov/rprs/ i.e. one system different permissions based on roles

• Non-NPS investigators must create a credentialing account and investigator account. The user

name and password created in that process is the key to their account.

• Forgot user name or password: Link to recover is based on security question. If the security

question answer is forgotten, contact RPRS administration (bill_commins@nps.gov).

• NPS users are credentialed by their DOI active directory network credential. As long as NPS users

are logged into the network the RPRS automatically identifies both the user and their permissions. Additional issues creating problems for investigators:

• Multiple accounts or no account
• Occasionally service requests for non-NPS DOI users are routed within the network. This causes

problems if the user set up the account through the Partner STS credentialing service. The user will be credentialed but not linked to their transactions (contact bill_commins@nps.gov).

• Permit holders believe that IAR already submitted : issues may be wrong year, still in draft, not

aware IARs are annual or that the permit is still active.

Helpful information for the IAR call

Questions asked by Investigators What is an Investigator’s Annual Report

• Short report submitted from investigator account (not a final report or negotiated

deliverable)

• Condition of holding a permit (not optional)
• Annual as long as permit is active
• Scope: progress of study during reporting year
• Scope: primary narrative field is “Findings”, 4,000 characters (i.e. abstract)

How to submit IAR Log into the RPRS From Investigator dashboard choose “Investigator Annual Report: Submit Findings

Helpful information for the IAR call

Questions asked by Investigators How to renew permit (Submit a permit renewal application) Or Locate permit from “All of My Work” section of dashboard. Or locate permit from the “Permits” link found under the “All my Work” banner, open the permit, and click on “renew” link. NOTE: Both options create a draft application based on content of permit. At minimum the investigator will need enter the proposed date information and submit.

Helpful information for the IAR call

Coordinators

Checking in IARs – why, how

• IARs are meant to be a public record of research within units of the National Park System
• Parks review IARs to verify their quality and to determine if they contain sensitive

information.

• Parks determine whether an IAR will be considered sensitive or non-sensitive
• The content of IARs is only available to the park until the IAR is checked in.
• Permitting issues: copy/re-issue service, when permits may be edited
• Permits may be edited until an IAR is associated with the permit. After that the permit

content is locked.

• The copy/re-issue option is always available (new draft permit based on content of old)

Understand and use study number to link all documents pertaining to single study.

• Permit renewal service automatically carries study number in the application.
• If a permit is cut which is related to an existing study and the application was not a renewal

application, the park may manually assign the appropriate study number.

Helpful information for the IAR call

Coordinators

Understand and control automated notification messages.

• Notification messages relate to applications and IARs.
• Application messages are:
• notification that an application has been submitted (to park curators and park

coordinators)

• notification that an application was submitted over 15 days ago and has not been
• pened (to park coordinators and park superintendents)
• notification that application has exceeded review period without a permit decision (to

park coordinators and park superintendents)

• IAR messages are: notifications that an IAR has been submitted (to park coordinators).
• Automated notification messages to park curators and park superintendents are routed by

the email fields in the park profile. If you wish that someone else receive the notifications, enter their email in the park profile.

• Automated messages to park coordinators are routed by park coordinator assignments.

Helpful information for the IAR call

Coordinators

Understand and use park profile service. Park profile is accessible by all RPRS users (including the general public) through “Park” search page. Parks communicate to RPRS users through the park profile. The park profile consists of 4 sections:

• Research contact information: Park contacts related to the administration of park research.
• Research Conditions: Those conditions which apply to all park permits.
• Research Preferences: Research topics of interest to the park (i.e. opportunity to solicit).
• Bulletins: Option to communicate bulletins of interest to investigators. Can be used to warn

investigators of hazards or closures. How park coordinators may edit the park profile: Click “View Park Profile”

• From the Coordinator Dashboard, click on the “View Park Profile Link
• From the park profile page, click on the edit button found in the upper right corner of the

profile page. Be sure to scroll to the bottom and click save when you are finished editing.

• Note: Park coordinators may use the View Park Profile link to access the record of all park

application s, permits, IARs and Studies Record (via tabs)

Helpful information for the IAR call

Understand RPRS links to Data Store: final report submission service To upload files to Data Store: Investigators use: “Submit Final Reports and Other Related Materials” link which is found on the Investigator dashboard page. Coordinators use “Coordinators” menu option then “Submit Report for Investigator” Submission procedure: NPS staff submit files for investigator: first select investigator by entering last name or email.

Helpful information for the IAR call

Understand RPRS links to Data Store: final report submission service Submission procedure (continued) All users: Select study. All users: Attach file(s), enter meta- data, click submit button

Helpful information for the IAR call

Understand RPRS links to Data Store: final report submission service Notes:

• Files submitted through the final report submission service become part of the IRMA Data

Store data set (not RPRS data set)

• Files submitted through the final report submission service are accessible from the

coordinator dashboard of the park to which the file was submitted.

• As the files are in the Data Store data set they are also accessible directly from Data Store.
• The basic meta-data of files submitted through this service may be accessed through Data

Store, but by default only the park coordinators at the park to which the file was submitted may view the content of the submission. That access provides the option to expand access.

• Data Store was upgraded in January 2016. As a result, on a temporary basis, the links

between RPRS and Data Store were severed. Those links will be restored in the near future. During the period prior to restoration, files and related meta-data submitted through the RPRS submission service will be held in the RPRS data set. Once the links are restored those files will be transferred to Data Store and will be accessible.